Review Seaskin Nova drysuit

[SeaIRL]

The plastic zip is fantastic. As the suit breaks in you'll be able to reach and fin better.

Add a length of paracord to your zipper to aid in doing it yourself. There's no way I could reach mine and pull on the BS T-pull that is installed on my brass zip.
Red is my dry zip, gold is my zip cover. Both have a pull added so that I can grab it with bare or gloved hands. A quick flip of my shoulder and the pull is accessible if it somehow went behind me.

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"The plastic zip is fantastic." ... and yet we see you have a brass dry zipper here :O

Yes, I do have a toggle attached to the outer cover zip, and the inner dry zip has a long enough default loop for pulling closed. My particular incident was due to not being able to reach and fully open the inner for which a "helping" assist hand came in and de-tracked the zipper car (or whatever it's called). For me to have any success pulling the inner open more, further over the backside of my shoulder would require a sizable leash to pull from under the arm pit.

This isn't my first dry suit... quite familiar with how to get in and out of these contraptions. However my shoulder flexibility is becoming more and more of an issue due to youthful sports abuse and aging/degrading joints.

Jumping into 2 oversized loaner dry suits in order to complete the dive trip at God's Pocket and in Campbell River had other issues (bagginess and subsequent trapped air pockets) but otherwise a joy to be of such ease to don & doff.

 

[Badger7]

Don't judge, gotta work with the body the good lord gave me

Its good to be humble, unlike @Boarderguy running around bragging about his massive 36 millimeters.

 

[lexvil]

Its good to be humble, unlike @Boarderguy running around bragging about his massive 36 millimeters.

View attachment 841341

Actually he uses those as wrist seals.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

"The plastic zip is fantastic." ... and yet we see you have a brass dry zipper here :O

Yes, I do have a toggle attached to the outer cover zip, and the inner dry zip has a long enough default loop for pulling closed. My particular incident was due to not being able to reach and fully open the inner for which a "helping" assist hand came in and de-tracked the zipper car (or whatever it's called). For me to have any success pulling the inner open more, further over the backside of my shoulder would require a sizable leash to pull from under the arm pit.

This isn't my first dry suit... quite familiar with how to get in and out of these contraptions. However my shoulder flexibility is becoming more and more of an issue due to youthful sports abuse and aging/degrading joints.

Jumping into 2 oversized loaner dry suits in order to complete the dive trip at God's Pocket and in Campbell River had other issues (bagginess and subsequent trapped air pockets) but otherwise a joy to be of such ease to don & doff.

Well there's always a 1st I suppose.

@Boarderguy is on hiatus so he can't respond. I "think" his brass zipper was a mistake when he ordered, not sure.

Idk... mine was stiff and a little tight in the beginning, enough that I was worried I ordered wrong (and I got the extra room). After a bit it just worked loosened up. The repetition of taking it on and off helped. I too came from another drysuit, but let's be honest they're all a little different. Where stuff is, etc. It took me at least 10 dives to break the muscle memory of where the inflator was vs the old suit.

Its good to be humble, unlike @Boarderguy running around bragging about his massive 36 millimeters.

View attachment 841341

Hahahahaha... he can't respond. I think he just made that up so he could post it. I heard he also drives a massively oversized truck.

 

[Litefoot]

The best advice I’ve gotten is to take your time donning the suit. I’m sure that will be easier said than done as the weather warms and I’m sweating like a pig in my under suit.

 

[SeaIRL]

So wait, just to confirm you're saying the 4E Arctics are warmer than the 150s? the feel about the same in bulk to me so it's hard to tell.

Just catching up on this question... I have all 3 items, the SS 150 and 250, and the 4E Arctic. I usually start with the SS performance base layer then add one of those thermal layers.

The 150 & Arctic seem about the same warmth and fine for a single 46F dive when you start with near 100% dry underlayers. If doing multiple dives and you don't have the option to change out to fresh, dry underlayers then go with the 250 (and at least +3lbs extra weight).

Another point, the SS 3M Thinsulate seems to do better when damp than the 4E Arctic fleece which holds moisture but does not wick the wet away as well as the SS underlayers, hence you feel the cold more when the 4E Arctic is damp.

The one negative I have about the SS layers is the thin nylon outer shell - wishing that was something tougher and didn't crinkle/bunch up with creases and folds.

Due to the difference I'm finding in the wicking performance, I think the SS Thinsulate layers are a better overall choice, plus a whole lot cheaper than 4E Arctic.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Just catching up on this question... I have all 3 items, the SS 150 and 250, and the 4E Arctic. I usually start with the SS performance base layer then add one of those thermal layers.

The 150 & Arctic seem about the same warmth and fine for a single 46F dive when you start with near 100% dry underlayers. If doing multiple dives and you don't have the option to change out to fresh, dry underlayers then go with the 250 (and at least +3lbs extra weight).

Another point, the SS 3M Thinsulate seems to do better when damp than the 4E Arctic fleece which holds moisture but does not wick the wet away as well as the SS underlayers, hence you feel the cold more when the 4E Arctic is damp.

The one negative I have about the SS layers is the thin nylon outer shell - wishing that was something tougher and didn't crinkle/bunch up with creases and folds.

Due to the difference I'm finding in the wicking performance, I think the SS Thinsulate layers are a better overall choice, plus a whole lot cheaper than 4E Arctic.

I disagree. I have 4E Halo 3D, a set of Arctics, and the SS 250. The Halo is the warmest. Both the 4E sets are more dense then the 250 and require a lot less air to manage. I leave my vent open all the way all the time, with the SS I reall can't do that. With the SS I need to manually trap air, with 4E it does it for me.

Thinsulate works, I know thicker thinsulate like the Weezle would be warmer then my Halo, but I don't think it's as comfortable to dive.

In order of warmth I would rank mine, Halo, SS 250, then Arctics. No matter what I wear, I always have a good wicking base layer. They're easier to wash the funk out vs the thermal layer and do a much better job of wicking anything.

 

[SeaIRL]

I disagree. I have 4E Halo 3D, a set of Arctics, and the SS 250. The Halo is the warmest. Both the 4E sets are more dense then the 250 and require a lot less air to manage. I leave my vent open all the way all the time, with the SS I reall can't do that. With the SS I need to manually trap air, with 4E it does it for me.

Thinsulate works, I know thicker thinsulate like the Weezle would be warmer then my Halo, but I don't think it's as comfortable to dive.

In order of warmth I would rank mine, Halo, SS 250, then Arctics. No matter what I wear, I always have a good wicking base layer. They're easier to wash the funk out vs the thermal layer and do a much better job of wicking anything.

I guess you are disagreeing that the SS is a better option (ignoring that 4E is 2x, 3x, 4x the price). Your new points about density and air management are interesting, but then you agree the SS 250 is warmer than the 4E Arctic, which I equate to the SS 150. I did notice the 4E Arctics saturated easily with air (and moisture) but never found the air part a substantial diff. Also can't say I like my thermals trapping air that I can't easily vent, but to each his own preference.

What do you think of the Arctic performance when they are damp? I freeze.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I guess you are disagreeing that the SS is a better option (ignoring that 4E is 2x, 3x, 4x the price). Your new points about density and air management are interesting, but then you agree the SS 250 is warmer than the 4E Arctic, which I equate to the SS 150. I did notice the 4E Arctics saturated easily with air (and moisture) but never found the air part a substantial diff. Also can't say I like my thermals trapping air that I can't easily vent, but to each his own preference.

What do you think of the Arctic performance when they are damp? I freeze.

But it does easily vent. Because it's dense it only holds what it needs to. I add air to prevent squeeze, but never close my valve. On the way up I just roll my shoulder a little and what needs to come out does.. nothing more. Thinsulate is harder to manage the bubble. I need to force air to stay trapped and manipulate the valve. With 4E I don't feel a bubble at all.

Try putting either set in a bag and compressing it as much as you can. The thinsulate can be compressed way smaller than the 4E stuff.

With either I wear a wicking base layer, fleece and something else, maybe polyester? They do an amazing job getting the moisture off of me. I've never done a dive with 4E / thinsulate right up against my skin. Plus after a few dives I can wash the base, I really try not to wash the thermal layers unless I piss in them (catheter issues) or they get a funk. It will break them down. And I don't "wash", I'll soak with some baby shampoo in a tub and manually roll it around some and then hang to dry. Both sets always feel damp with the bag effect after the dive, but I never feel it during the dive.

I am not saying SS is a bad option. I don't regret getting it, for the money it's awesome. Well worth having a backup M2M undersuit. But if you can find a used set of 4E stuff for a good price get it (or feel like splurging for new). The SS stuff is great to start off with, my personal opinion is just that 4E (or the like) are a better product. @lexvil uses waffle fleece, much less expensive and just about as nice as 4E. If I didn't find an almost new Halo 3D for cheap I would have gone that route too.

I agree the 250 is warmer than the 4E Arctics. I would love to get my hands on a Halo AR, supposed to be same thickness as the Arctics but just as warm as the 3D.

 

[SeaIRL]

But it does easily vent. Because it's dense it only holds what it needs to. I add air to prevent squeeze, but never close my valve. On the way up I just roll my shoulder a little and what needs to come out does.. nothing more. Thinsulate is harder to manage the bubble. I need to force air to stay trapped and manipulate the valve. With 4E I don't feel a bubble at all.

Try putting either set in a bag and compressing it as much as you can. The thinsulate can be compressed way smaller than the 4E stuff.

With either I wear a wicking base layer, fleece and something else, maybe polyester? They do an amazing job getting the moisture off of me. I've never done a dive with 4E / thinsulate right up against my skin. Plus after a few dives I can wash the base, I really try not to wash the thermal layers unless I piss in them (catheter issues) or they get a funk. It will break them down. And I don't "wash", I'll soak with some baby shampoo in a tub and manually roll it around some and then hang to dry. Both sets always feel damp with the bag effect after the dive, but I never feel it during the dive.

I am not saying SS is a bad option. I don't regret getting it, for the money it's awesome. Well worth having a backup M2M undersuit. But if you can find a used set of 4E stuff for a good price get it (or feel like splurging for new). The SS stuff is great to start off with, my personal opinion is just that 4E (or the like) are a better product. @lexvil uses waffle fleece, much less expensive and just about as nice as 4E. If I didn't find an almost new Halo 3D for cheap I would have gone that route too.

I agree the 250 is warmer than the 4E Arctics. I would love to get my hands on a Halo AR, supposed to be same thickness as the Arctics but just as warm as the 3D.

Cool. Thanks for the feedback.

I wouldn't mind getting a Halo 3D or AR at all, but my wife would once she saw the bill :/ Perhaps I'll get lucky and find someone dumping their old ratty undies in a bin :O